“Democracy at risk”

After the police raids across the country, the people of Turkey and intellectuals stopped in dismay to reflect on its future, increasingly determined to continue the battle for democracy and fundamental rights: chief among them, freedom of thought and speech. Last Sunday, a major police operation led to the arrest of 27 people in 13 cities targeting Fethullah Gulen, a bitter rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. His empire includes television channels, schools and universities, including the most widely read newspaper in Turkey, “Zaman”. Maria Chiara Biagioni interviewed for SIR Europe Mustafa Edib Yilmazin, in charge of the foreign desk of the newspaper. First of all, what happened exactly past Sunday in the editorial offices of “Zaman”? “The police entered our head office in Istanbul on Sunday afternoon and arrested Ekrem Dumanli, chief editor of my newspaper. There were hundreds of people inside and outside the building when it happened. People came to express solidarity with the newspaper, chanting slogans such as ‘free media can not be silenced’ and holding banners as Dumanli was brought away”. What’s the situation now? “The people are still under shock for what has happened. It was very upsetting to witness the arrest of a journalist, taken from his own office while he was doing his job. However, everyone is also very determined to resist the authoritarian regime put in place by Erdogan. We will continue to fight in the name of democracy, human rights and freedoms”. Why is Erdogan against the newspaper “Zaman”? “The president is a very popular leader in Turkey. His supporters focus mainly on the economic benefits of his government. His opponents instead emphasize regression in the field of human rights and fundamental freedoms. Surely, he is leading us away from the European Union. When the head of EU diplomacy, Federica Mogherini, called the arrests ‘incompatible with the freedom of the media, which is a core principle of democracy’, President Erdogan said that the EU must ‘mind its own business ‘ and that Ankara has no concern about what the EU might say, whether the EU accepts us as members or not.’ This is just enough reason for many people (the Social Democrats, liberals …) and private initiatives in the country, including ‘Zaman’, to protest against his mode of government. Only free press can ensure that the people are informed about the reality of this country, as is done elsewhere. This is why the government is against this newspaper. Erdogan and his men want a total submission of the media, of businesses and civil society”. Whence does the future of Turkey pass and when could its process towards full democracy begin? “If the series of events that took place during the year should continue, we would know for sure that Turkey is following the wrong direction. I fear that the country is headed towards a totalitarian regime. Yet a genuine path to democracy begins with us, with the people. We will protest to trigger the change”. Turkey must address the advance of totalitarianism and of ISIS Islamic State on its borders. What are the plans to cope with this threat? “I don’t know. There are many problems on Turkey’s agenda at the moment. I don’t want to appear pessimistic, but difficult times lie ahead”. How could Europe help your Country? “Europe should ensure that Turkey steps up its engagement in the fields of rights and fundamental freedoms. If that should not work I don’t know what else could be done. Suspending accession negotiations would be an excessively strong measure. It would only backfire. This is a real challenge for the EU”.